UK defence contractor BAE Systems has been given an £870million contract to fit cutting-edge radar to some of the RAF’s fleet of Typhoon fighter jets.

The ECRS Mk2 programme, in collaboration with Leonardo UK, will sustain 600 jobs at the defence contractor’s sites in Edinburgh, Luton and Lancashire.

The radar will allow Typhoons to detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said yesterday.

Locked on: The ECRS Mk 2 programme will allow RAF Typhoons to detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground

Locked on: The ECRS Mk 2 programme will allow RAF Typhoons to detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground

Locked on: The ECRS Mk 2 programme will allow RAF Typhoons to detect, identify and track multiple targets in the air and on the ground

At the same time, it will have the ability to ‘suppress enemy air defences using high-powered jamming and engage targets whilst beyond the reach of threats’.

The technology, described as ‘one of the world’s most advanced radar’, will be fitted to the RAF’s 40 ‘Tranche 3’ Typhoon aircraft – the latest version of the fighter jet.

The announcement is part of a £2.35billion commitment made by the Government last year to invest in the Typhoon and keep it in the skies until 2040 and beyond.

BAE shares fell 1 per cent, or 9p, to 909p.

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